If you are tempted to believe that the crucifixion of Jesus was not part of God’s plan for the salvation of mankind but a chance happening that took Jesus by surprise, I invite you this Easter time to consider prayerfully the Scriptures below. Every statement quoted about the death of Jesus from the New Testament has its counterpart in the Old Testament, written hundreds of years earlier:
New Testament: ‘Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments casting lots’, Matthew chapter 27 verse 35.
Old Testament: ‘They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots’, Psalm 22 verse 18.
New Testament: ‘Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying . . . My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me’, Matthew chapter 27 verse 46.
Old Testament: ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me’, Psalm 22 verse 1.
New Testament: ‘Then Jesus said to them (the disciples), All of You will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written. I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered’, Mark chapter 14 verse 27.
Old Testament: ‘Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd . . . Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered’, Zechariah chapter 13 verse 7.
New Testament: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors’, Luke chapter 22 verse 37.
Old Testament: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many’, Isaiah chapter 53 verse 12.
New Testament: ‘And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, Father into your hands I commend My Spirit’, Luke chapter 23 verse 46.
Old Testament: ‘Into Your hand I commit My spirit’, Psalm 11 verse 5.
Many other Scriptures could be added to these and they would all testify to the fact that the crucifixion was not an accident but a fundamental part of God’s plan. Peter bore testimony to this in his preaching after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended back to heaven: ‘Him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God’, Acts chapter 2 verse 23.
God planned it so, to bring eternal salvation to all of us. You matter that much to Him.